Afterlife The "life" or existence that occurs following death to the physical body.

Agent The ghost or spirit seen by someone. It is also used to describe the cause of the haunting.  For example, in the case of a poltergeist, popular beliefs are that a child at the age of puberty usually is the cause of the disturbances through some form of telekinetic projection. In a case like this, the child is the agent.

Amorphous Having no definite form or shape, spirits and ghosts often appears in mist-like forms or shapes.

Angel Benevolent spiritual beings who help people in need.  An inhuman species.  Often thought only to be agents of good.  Can also refer to the fallen angels.

Angelology The study of angels.

Anomaly An out of the ordinary occurrence.  Not always paranormal.

Apparition This is the visible manifestation of a haunting.

Apport The arrival of an object(s) during a séance or a haunting.

Archangel An angel consisting of a high rank

Asport The disappearance of an object(s) that reappear elsewhere or not at all.

Astral Projection When the spirit travels outside the body to either the astral plane or another location on this plane.  This is also referred to as an Out Of Body experience (OBE)

Astrology The study of the supposed influences of the stars and planets on human affairs and terrestrial events by their positions and aspects.

Aura The emanation of energy that surrounds all living things.  It is believed that our physical health and our emotional state is reflected in our auras. For example, if someone is ill, happy, or sad it will be reflected in their aura.  Those with psychic abilities are able to see and interpret this energy.  Two Russian scientists by the names of Semyon and Valentina developed the Kirlian Photography, through the use of this photography one's aura can be photographed.  Some believe that the color of orbs is similar to that of one's aura.

Automatic Writing Phenomena by which people write without conscious thought. Believed by many that spirits take control of the living person and are able to communicate through them by writing.

Automatism The theory in which the subconscious communicates with the conscious by means of a vehicle such as a Ouija Board, automatic writing or pendulum swinging.

Ball Lightning Rare form of lightning consisting of luminous balls that may move along solid objects or float in the air. This could be misdiagnosed as a paranormal event.

Banishing This is the act or a ceremony that is performed to cast out or remove an entity from a location

Banshee A female death spirit that appears just before a death.  It is said no apparition is usually present, just a groaning, screaming or mournful singing is heard.

Benign Spirit  A spirit that is not harmful or evil to man.  Spirit guides and angles fall into this category, also the spirits of loved ones that have come back to communicate something to us.  Elementals are considered benign spirits.

Bilocation When a person or an object is seen in two locations at the same time.

Black Magic Magical spells or rituals held with the malicious intent to harm others.

Channeling When a person (usually a medium) receives messages from a spirit or another dimension.

Circumambulation Ceremonially surrounding a person or an object for the purpose of protection.

Clairvoyant  Someone with the psychic ability to see events or people which have not occurred yet.

Clairaudient  The psychic ability to hears voices and sounds that are inaudible to the normal human ear.

Clairsentient  The psychic ability to feel things that are not normally felt by most people.

Cold Spot  An area where the temperature is lower than the surrounding environment.  Cold spots are believed to be created when a spiritual presence is close by.  the theory is that when a spirit tries to manifest, it draws all available energy from the surroundings, which includes available heat.

Control Another term used for the spirit that a medium uses to contact the spirit world.

Crisis Apparition An apparition in which a person is seen within a few hours of an important crisis such as death, accident or sudden illness.

Cryptozoology The study of rumored animals that are thought to exist but no conclusive proof exists to support their existence.

Deep Trace Medium A psychic who allows a spirit to enter her/his body so that the spirit can communicate through them.

Déjà Vu A persons feeling that the events being experienced currently have been experienced before.

Demon Considered by many to be a hostile, inhuman entity that consists of the “fallen angels”.  Every culture has their own “demons”.  It is advised to take caution if possibly confronted with a demonic style haunting.

Demonic Possession Possession by an evil spirit.

Demonology The study of demons.  A demonologist is considered an expert in this field.

Discarnate A spirit that exists without a physical body.

Discernment The ability to feel or perceive something with the use the mind and the senses.

Disembodied A spirit that is functioning without a body.

Disembodied Voice  A voice that is heard that comes from no physical body, also known as an electronic voice phenomena.

Divination  The obtaining of future events and/or the unknown by the use of outside forces, these are usually spiritual in nature.

Dowsing   The “paranormal” detection of another item. Dowsing has been used for many years to find underground water sources. The same technique can be used, so it is said, to detect other paranormal events such as spirit activity. Usually includes the use of dowsing rods or pendulums.

Drop In Communicator This is a spirit that appears at a séance that is not the spirit that is trying to be contacted.  Sort of a Séance tresspasser!

Ectoplasm Made famous by Peter Venkman on the Ghostbusters!  It's a substance that manifests itself as a result of psychic phenomena or spiritual energy.

Electromagnetic Field (EMF)  A field created by a combination of electric and magnetic energy that radiates from radio and light waves to gamma and cosmic rays.  It is a theory that when spirits try to manifest, they can generate a electromagnetic field of their own which can be measured with an EMF meter.

Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP) Disembodied voices that can be heard on an audio recording.  These voices are not heard by investigators at time of recording, but imprint themselves onto the recording device.

Elemental Refers to an inhuman entity commonly thought to be a nature spirit.  Usually is negative.

EMF Detector A device used by investigators to measure electromagnetic fields (See EMF).  Many different types and styles of these meters are used

EMF Toxicity Exposure to high EMF is a real concern, it is not paranormal, EMF's can be generated by multiple natural and manmade sources.  Go to the following link for some general information.  http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/EMF/

Entity  A disembodied presence. Can refer to a ghost, spirit, or inhuman presence.

Evocation  The summoning of spirits by usage of ritual, gesture or verse of incantation.

Exorcism  The expulsion of ghosts, demons, spirits or other entities that are believed to be disturbing or possessing a person or a place that people frequent.

Extra Sensory Perception (ESP)   The ability to receive information about past, present or future events that can not be obtained through the normal senses. These include telepathy, clairvoyance and precognition.  It is believed that everyone has some level of ESP ability, but some individuals possess a heightened ability

Fairy Not the sweet cute figure we see generally think of in the U.S.  This is an inhuman spirit nature spirit.  They are reportedly mischievous and live underground.

Gauss Meter A device that is used to measure the electromagnetic field, also referred to as EMF detectors or magnetometers.

Guardian Angel A protective presence who may be summoned or appear at times of crisis to strengthen our souls as we meet the challenges of human incarnation

Ghost   Generalized term given to the cause of a haunting.  This is commonly thought of to be that of a disembodied spirit of those who passed.

Ghost Lights   These are unexplained lights closely resembling orbs, but are much larger and brighter in their appearance.  These are mostly seen in remote places and have been seen changing colors, directions and sometimes heard making a buzzing sound.

Ghoul Commonly thought of as an evil spirit.  In Islamic folklore, an evil demon that eats freshly buried bodies, and often abducts children or attacks unwary travelers.

Grey Ladies The ghosts of women who died a violently for the sake of love or pined away from loss of love. The name grey lady comes from the frequent appearance of these ladies who are dressed in grey.

Haunted A person, place or an object to where paranormal activity surrounding a spirit is occurring.  The haunt types range in category.

Haunting   This is the manifestation of spirit activity. This can be residual, intelligent, poltergeist, or an inhuman style haunting.

Incubus  Inhuman entity who sexually assaults human female victims.

Intelligent Haunting   Haunting category that involves a spirit that is commonly thought to be that of someone who passed away that is still earth bound.  These spirits are able to interact with the living.

Levitation The raising of a person or object into the air without any visible means. Levitation is a popular event during haunting, meditative trances, séances and possessions.  Levitation is a major part of Poltergeist activity with object being moved and thrown around.

Light Trance Medium  A person whom spirits can communicate through.  In contrast to deep trance mediums, the spirits wishing to communicate through the medium does not possess them.

Malevolent Having or showing a desire to harm others.

Malicious  A spirit that is spiteful and/or evil. These spirits will destroy or damage things of a personal or financial value for the sake of hurting others.

Manifestation  The appearance or taking of form of an entity.  This can also mean the outbreak of paranormal activity.

Materialization The formation of a visible and/or the physical form of a spirit.  These are usually brief in appearance and often is just a face, hand and are not a full formation of a spirit.

Medium A person who acts as a communicator with the dead.  There are two categories of medium, the light and deep trance medium.

Metaphysics   The term metaphysics is derived from the Latin word "meta" which means "beyond", and the word physics which means the study of psychical research.  Essentially the word metaphysics literally means the study of that which is beyond the laws of physics.

Matrixing The natural tendency for the human mind to interpret sensory input, what is perceived visually, audibly or tactiley, as something familiar or more easily understood and accepted, in effect mentally "filling in the blanks."

Orb These are spherical shaped balls of energy, that are commonly thought to be of paranormal origin.  Energy orbs can also occur naturally as well.  An orb will generate its own light, are NOT see through or translucent, one of the most misdiagnosed claims of paranormal activity.

Ouija Board A "game" still in production today that has letters of the alphabet and "yes" and "no" on it.  The users are navigated around the board with a planchette, their hands guided by spiritual forces.  WARNING:  These are not recommended as there have been cases where users have accidentally brought in negative spirits, including inhuman spirits.

Pareidolia The natural tendency for the human mind to interpret sensory input, what is perceived visually, audibly or tactiley, as something familiar or more easily understood and accepted, in effect mentally "filling in the blanks."

Paranormal Unable to be explained or understood in terms of scientific knowledge.  This includes spirit activity, crytozoology, etc.

Parapsychology   Parapsychology is the scientific and scholarly study of certain unusual events associated with human experience, such as ghosts, UFOS, ESP, Bigfoot, etc. It is generally defined as the scientific study of paranormal phenomena.

Phantom Another term for a ghost or an apparition.

Phantomania  Paralysis that occurs when someone is under attack from supernatural or preternatural forces, also known as psychic paralysis.

Planchette   The triangular instrument used as a pointer to answer questions on a Ouija board.

Poltergeist  A German words that means "noisy ghost."  Often a Poltergeist is manifested by an agent or a focus, most commonly a teen age female. This manifestation may be an actual entity drawn to the agent, or the agent themselves are manifesting the activity through ESP.

Possession A term used to describe when an entity enters a living human and takes over their body and mind.  There are different levels of possession.

Precognition  Knowledge of pending future events.

Premonition  Feeling or warning about future events. This can be vague or it can be very specific.

Psychic A person with the ability to see, hear and feel by the use of senses other than the natural senses, also referred to as a "sixth sense"

Psychic Attack An attack that can either be physical or mental by a spirit. The spirit may be visible or invisible during the attack. There is evidence that people are also capable of psychically attacking others.

Quabbin Valley Paranormal Paranormal research group founded in January 2007 in Massachusetts.

Residual Haunting This is the “tape recorder” style haunting. It is energy left behind by times past.  They do not interact with the living, as they are just left over energy.

Sleep Paralysis  Sleep paralysis consists of a period of inability to perform voluntary movements either at sleep onset (called hypnogogic or predormital form) or upon awakening (called hypnopompic or postdormtal form).  This phenomena can cause dream like hallucinations which can be mistaken for paranormal activity.

Succubus   Inhuman entity who sexually assaults male victims.

Table Tipping  An experiment in psychokenesis which can fairly easily be replicated. Usually 4 participants place their hands flat on a table, and are able to make the table move. Spirit activity was thought to be the cause of the table moving, but it is more commonly accepted that it is the participants themselves who are moving the table via telekinesis.  This was common during the beginnings of the spiritualist movement.

Telekenisis  A psychic phenomenon where-in objects are remotely displaced and moved around, solely by the powers of the mind.

U.F.O. The acronym for an Unidentified Flying Object.

U.S.O. The acronym for an Unidentified Submerged Object.

Wicca Wicca is not paranormal, but often thought to be because of its tie to witchcraft.  It is a religion that worships the God and the Goddess.  It is an earth based religion.

Witch This person is a practitioner of the magic arts.  Viewed differently by different cultures.  Witches can be either male or female.